Page 26 - MayJune25 Report

MEMORIALS
Memorials honor the lives of deceased members of the local Bar. For more information, contact Lisa Quintanilla at (513) 699-1391 or lquintanilla@cincybar.org.
Cincinnati. He worked tirelessly and fervently for the “beloved
community” principally through Over the Rhine Commu-
nity Housing. Similarly, he worked at the highest level with the
Kennedy Heights Development Corporation to ensure that the
neighborhood remained and prospered as an integrated one full
of good life and opportunity.
Joe was an active athlete all his life. His love of golf, instilled
by his mother, was lifelong. As a teenager he worked at the Reeves
Golf Course, which fittingly was the last place he played with his
regular group last November. His love of golf took him to courses
in Arizona, North Carolina, Scotland, and beyond. At the behest
of some of his buddies, he played in Ireland, where he endured
wind, rain, and ribbing by his less skilled buddies of Irish ancestry
and the wry, seasoned local caddies. Joe was always lots of fun to
play golf with.
Later in life, Joe was inspired by Claudia’s newfound hobby of
running and as a surprise to her, he did the same in his 50s. Joe
quietly trained for the Nashville Half-Marathon (2009) and it was
the first of many finish lines they crossed together. Additionally,
Joe and his family vacationed almost every summer in the Outer
Banks of North Carolina. You could always find him catching
waves and soaking up the sun. He cherished this time with his
family. Each year he would collect a purple shell to carry in his
pocket as a commitment to always return to the ocean. And each
year he would throw it back to the ocean as a form of gratitude.
Joe was generous, funny, smart, kind, and real. He will be
profoundly missed by all those lucky enough to know him.
Joseph Feldhaus
1951 – 2024
Joseph H. Feldhaus was a man for
all seasons. Born into a loving academic
family on December 30, 1951, Joe
himself would go on to become a loving
husband, father, and grandfather. He was
a discerning Catholic, an active leader in
his community, an athlete, and a bril-
liant lawyer. After a courageous battle
with cancer, Joe left this life and went to Heaven on July 22, 2024,
surrounded by his family, dedicated nurse, and hospice caregiver.
He is survived by his wife, Marcheta Gillam; their much-trea-
sured daughters, Elena and Claudia and their families, including
Elena’s husband Jason Jones, and their three perfect children,
Jack, Indy, and Lila. As well as Claudia’s better half, Sean Maher,
and their three perfect children, Travis, Reese, and Lane. Joe is
also survived by his much-loved sister, Anne, and her husband,
Stephen MacKinnon.
Joe was a 1970 graduate of St. Xavier High School, attended
Xavier University, and graduated from the University of Cincin-
nati with a degree in criminal justice. He then began the adventure
that would shape his future. He headed out west with his life-long
friend, Ed Babbitt, to attend Southwestern Law School in Los
Angeles. There not only did he find his calling in the law, but he
met the love of his life, Marcheta Gillam. They married in Los
Angeles in 1981; together they created a close-knit family, and they
shared a passion for law and justice. Moving back to Cincinnati,
Joe spent the bulk of his career beginning in 1982 at the firm which
is now Beckman Weil Shepardson LLC. Subsequently, beginning
in 2011, he became Xavier University’s first in-house General
Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Trustees. Marcheta spent
over 35 years as a housing lawyer at the Legal Aid Society of South-
west Ohio.
Joe’s grasp of real estate law (his specialty) and his creative
problem-solving skills evolved from his close relationship at the
firm with his earliest mentors, Vincent and Paul Beckman. Joe
became an invaluable leader in the firm, at Xavier University,
in Kennedy Heights, and in the affordable housing community
throughout Cincinnati. Joe’s relationship with Xavier went far
beyond lawyer-client. Xavier was his love and passion, and he
became an accomplished student of Jesuit tradition, including its
intellectual rigor. As most would say, Joe had a special chamber
in his heart reserved for St. Francis Xavier, and accordingly Joe’s
blood ran Xavier blue.
Joe had a special solicitude for all persons relegated to the
margins of society, including the mentally ill homeless. He was
key to the establishment of Tender Mercies in the mid-1980s, and
his commitment continued to the present. In addition to serving
as the Board president and volunteer lawyer, he served dinner at
Tender Mercies with his family one evening each month for 30
years. In 2022, Tender Mercies honored Joe with the Sr. Kathleen
Kelly Award for his leadership, wisdom, dedication, legal advice,
compassion, and empathy.
Joe likewise committed himself to the development and
proper management of sustainable affordable housing throughout
Stuart Richards
1938 – 2024
Stuart L. Richards, age 86, passed
away December 17, 2024. He’s survived
by his wife, Rosalyn; his sons, Jeremy
(Allyson Wintrob), Louis (Erin Goret),
and Steven (Nicole Vecchio); his grand-
children: Emily, Alexandra, Jami, Ian,
and Josie.
Stu (as everyone called him) was born
and raised in Cincinnati. He graduated from Walnut Hills High
School in 1956. He studied at University of Cincinnati receiving
his undergraduate degree in 1960, then continued his studies at
The UC College of Law, earning a Juris Doctorate in 1962. Stu
practiced law in the Greater Cincinnati area for almost 60 years,
becoming one of the foremost practitioners in tenant landlord
law. Many in the courthouse sought out Stu for advice and he
mentored multiple generations of Cincinnati attorneys. He set
up shop daily in the Municipal Clerk’s office and conducted
“office hours” there for anyone needing advice. Most telling was
the respect everyone had for Stu’s courtroom demeanor and his
respect for the opposing side regardless of the case.
26 THE REPORT | May/June 2025 | CincyBar.org